Without Fear
by DxMaddox
Summary: Near Future setting. It is the time of peace, shinobi are outlawed and no longer needed. Some are relieved, others are distrustful. Caught in the middle, Sakura receives a request from an old acquaintance that will guide her to her true feelings.
1. Abandon

A/N: I'm sort of back. For those of you who don't know me, I hope you enjoy. For those of you who do, you know that I'm absolutely horrible with keeping on schedule. So I'm just going to be straight forward with you. I'm several years older now, I'm a university student, I work when I'm not in classes, and I try and spend what little time I do have left with my friends. I have a lot of things to do, so I really can't promise consistency. But I love writing, and I really do want to make up for the discontinuation of Euphoria. The fic I had written got lost when I switched to a new laptop, so I just decided to start over.

SO HERE IT IS. It's an AU and set in the future because I stopped paying attention to the manga. IF someone wants to pm me and like give me the sparksnotes version, that'd be kinda cool.

Without Fear

The air was crisp with the sting of autumn. The park was mostly desolate, with the exception of a girl sitting alone on an old wooden bench. She was resting. From afar, she would appear young. But upon closer inspection, her stature and her eyes suggested a weary, aged soul. Sakura Haruno had just come back from a peace-keeping mission. Although the mission itself was not taxing, it was her morale that was burdened. Returning to her beloved village, she found it hard to be cheerful.

Although the war had ended, traces of the violence that ensued were everywhere one looked. From the houses that were poorly rebuilt, to the shards of metal and glass embedded in the pathways and streets, Konoha looked less like a village, and more like a war refuge. Yet, people were moving forward with their lives. The great time of peace was declared among the nations, and although this could have just been propaganda, no one cared. It was something to hold onto, something to hope for, and something to believe in, in an otherwise dark, gloomy period. For shinobi however, the adjustment was harsh.

With the exception of medic-nin, shinobi itself as a profession was outlawed. The government grew fearful, fearful of these exceptionally strong characters with the power to alter the world in small numbers. Her old friends all seemed to take different positions within the government itself, in hopes of being able to contribute, but for most, the change was not well received. Some abandoned their loyalties, took a strike through their own badges, and became outlaws, refusing to give in to the new era, forever living a life of fear. They did shady jobs to get by. But the fear of getting caught, for punishment was death, prevented many from doing anything high-profile.

Somewhere above, a bird chirped. Sakura looked up. Her own feelings on the matter were mixed. On the one hand, she thought the council to be naïve fools, for believing that the time where shinobi had a purpose was over. But, she also admired their ambition. If it really was the great time of peace, then truly; shinobi were not needed. However, there was always trouble, there was always rebellion. For these kinds of events, wouldn't the shinobi be the most effective tool?

But she was a fool to ponder these things. When the new laws were passed, she had passively agreed to stay a medic-nin for the sake of her village. She swore on contract to use her abilities only for the purpose of healing, and never to fight. She did not resist one bit. With a sigh, Sakura closed her eyes and tilted her face toward the sky. She was tired. Life seemed bland and boring without her friends close by. Ino had given up her kunochi role altogether, taking over the flower shop. Shikamaru had been offered a position within the council as an advisor, and he had happily taken it. Tenten and Neji were now instructors at the new government established school for "defence". Even Naruto was being trained to step into the role of Hokage. Sakura missed his company the most. Feeling like an old maid, she finally stood up. Hoisting a small rucksack onto her right shoulder, she began the lonely walk home.

At the tender age of twenty, she missed those carefree days of her youth. With another long sigh, she walked forward still, numb to her surroundings. How long had life been like this? She couldn't seem to remember, for the days melted together. A walk that was only fifteen minutes seemed to stretch out forever, making her feel as if she had been walking for an hour. When she finally reached her humble house, Sakura unlocked the door and walked in, shutting it quietly behind her. In her gloom, she failed to notice the strange presence of her living room.

Setting the bag down by the door gently, she kicked off her boots and ran her hand to the light switch. As light flooded the small room, Sakura finally glanced up with hazy eyes and inhaled sharply. Her pupils contracted, and her mouth hung open, a blood curling scream escaping from her lips before she was tackled to the ground by a strong figure. Panic was her first instinct; she struggled underneath the massive weight, but to no avail. When she calmed down, she realized that the person was not attempting to harm her in any way. Her own mouth muffled by the intruder's hand, she tried to speak but could not. The hand smelled like burnt wood and wild flowers. A strange combination, she thought.

"Shh," a deep but familiar voice cooed out to her. Sakura stopped struggling and blinked. She could not see over the man's shoulder, but she trusted him. Something told her that she knew him. When it seemed that she would be quiet, the man raised his own body off of hers and helped her sit up. After sitting up, it was apparent that the male was not as large as she had initially thought. In actuality, he was fairly thin. Though, what mass he did possess was solid muscle, built from years of training. His skin was as fair as hers, perhaps even a shade lighter. But what drew her to him was the color of his hair. Those gorgeous red locks framing his face ever so perfectly, she knew immediately who it was, even without his piercing gaze.

"Kazekage-sama," she murmured out, bowing slightly in her sitting position. Sakura was confused for sure, but she did not forget her manners. The boy raised his right hand, motioning for her to look up.

"Please, Haruno-san, I'm no longer the Kazekage. You know that," The man spoke out. He was sitting too, but in a perfect kneeling position; it was a refined kind of elegance that only came from a cultured upbringing.

"Sorry, it just takes some getting used to. Then, will you allow me to call you Gaara-san?" She asked gently, glancing up at him shyly. She never was close to the man before her. For this reason, she wondered why he was suddenly in her house.

"I'm sorry for earlier. It was not my intention to scare you. I just didn't want the neighbours to overhear your screaming and misinterpret this," he began to explain awkwardly. Gaara paused. He wasn't quite sure how to proceed.

"It's…alright. But please, get off the floor. Would you like some tea?" She offered, standing up and motioning for him to sit down on the couch. As she walked into the adjoining kitchen, her head was reeling with questions, but she bit down on her lip. As sad as it may seem, she didn't want him to tell her everything just yet…it had been a while since she had any company over, and she rather enjoyed hosting.

"Ah yes, thank you. The reason I am here-," he began, but found that the clatter of Sakura getting her kettle drowned out his voice.

"What kind would you like? Green? Chamomile? Orange Pekoe?" She called to him from deep within one of the cupboards.

"Green tea is fine. Thank you. As I was saying, the reason that I'm here-," he started again, but was cut off once more.

"Now, Gaara-san, let's talk when we are both sitting down. Just give me some time to make the tea." Sakura said shamelessly. At her suggestion, Gaara stayed silent. She was the host, and he felt obligated to comply. So, the silence stage began. At first, Sakura found it awkward. But then, it grew on her until it became comfortable. She stood by the kettle, getting a tray ready. Humming to herself, she was pleasantly surprised by how happy she felt. Even if it was not one of her good friends, it felt kind of nice to be making tea for someone.

"Ah, it's ready. Would you like anything in your tea? Honey? A drop of lemon?" She asked him. Gaara simply shook his head politely. With a smile, Sakura grabbed the handles of the tray and brought the tea into the living room, and set it down on the coffee table.

"Now then, why are you here?" She asked, as she handed him his cup. Gaara took it with a small wince. It was warmer than expected.

"I have a favour to ask of you. Feel free to decline, but please, hear me out," Gaara spoke out clearly, setting his untouched tea down onto the tray.

"Alright, what is it?" She asked, curiosity getting the best of her.

"As you know, the academy has been shut down. The last summit had decided to ban the teaching and passing down of shinobi arts," Gaara started tenderly, testing the waters.

"Right…,"Sakura added, with a slow nod, even more curious now.

"But the thing is, I…I did not agree with that decision. I think this peace is a foolish notion. We are human. There will always be conflict, and if we do not teach the future generations what we have to offer, how can we possibly protect anyone?" He asked rhetorically.

"I see, and so…" Sakura prodded.

"Unfortunately, when I presented my view, it was not very well received. I am sure you have heard the rumours of the removal of my position? Well, it was more of a political movement. I abdicated. But for the sake of the council's dignity, we decided it would be better if it looked like a more suitable candidate was chosen," Gaara explained.

Sakura took a sip of her tea and nodded. She knew of this news. Naruto nearly had a fit, demanding to know why Gaara was removed. His loyalty to his friend was fierce and he could not even fathom doubt in Gaara's ability to lead.

"So, after my abdication, I decided to leave Suna, temporarily. I left two weeks ago, and I'm sure Konoha will be receiving news of my leave any day now. Haruno-san, I will be classified as a missing-nin in no time," he continued.

Sakura swallowed. She didn't like where this was headed. Why would he hide in her house of all places? Was it a jab at her social life? But there was no way he would know that she had no life. Annoyed, she chewed on her bottom lip.

"Do you want me to hide you," she asked. At this, Gaara looked bewildered.

"No, no. That's not it. The thing is, I'm choosing to be a missing-nin. I…I'm going to start up a school of my own. We will travel between villages, finding students who are interested and have potential. I…I must do what I can to protect our future," he finally explained.

Sakura blinked once, then twice. Did she hear him right? Gaara was going to teach? And who was this 'we' he mentioned. She suddenly felt a cold sweat. What exactly did he want with her?

"Right…so my favour was?" Sakura hinted at, trying to figure it out.

"I would like for you to come with me. I fear I do not know many medic-Nins, and I fear the others would betray me and alert the authorities." He stated boldly. It wasn't a command, but it felt like one.

Honoured, and indignant at the same time, Sakura puffed up her cheeks.

"Well, how do you know I'm available? I'm very busy you know-," She started to say. Gaara stared at her unwavering in his goal, and spoke out, cutting her off.

"Forgive me if that's how it came off, I only assumed because I have been watching you for the last two days. You've only gone on one mission, and it was a mere publicity stunt." He replied. Sakura scoffed on the inside. It was such a cold and cutting response, but with Gaara's social graces, it came off polite and well-reasoned.

"That is true…but, I don't know Gaara-san, I have an obligation to Konoha. I signed a contract." She hesitantly responded.

Gaara pulled out a piece of paper from his cloak. Sakura's eyes widened. It was her contract.

"This? I thought about that too. If I ripped it up, you'd be free to go, right?" He asked her, his voice never changing pitch, even once.

Sakura sat, mouth gaping. Was he…was he blackmailing her? Destroying her contract was seen as an act of defiance, and she could be sent to jail.

"Just…just wait a minute here. I don't want to become a missing-nin. I want to support our future too! But I want to do it in a way that I can still support our government," She retorted with, feeling panic once more.

Gaara stared and nodded at her once, before standing up. He placed he contract gently on the table before her. Walking over to her door, he opened it quietly.

"I understand. Thank you for the tea," He said casually, before leaving. Sakura whipped her body around to watch his figure disappear into the crowd. Turning back around, she stared at the place where he sat. His tea was untouched. She sighed. What exactly was preventing her from going? She knew that deep in her heart, she didn't mind leaving Konoha. But, she did not want to get caught. She still wanted to live after all.

Standing up, she brought the tray and his tea into the kitchen. She couldn't seem to get his voice out of her head. He had a point. What was holding her back? Even if she were to say, she wanted to support Konoha, but what had she been doing? She had only been given jobs on the occasion, and even then, they rarely lasted longer than a day. Publicity; that was all they were. Gaara was right. Surely, she could be of more use to him. The more she thought about it, the more it seemed to be a good idea. Washing out her cup in the sink, she stared blankly out the window.

Would she be missed? Sakura wondered. Surely, someone would. Naruto would. Ino would. Her heart took a small pang at guilty thoughts of abandoning her friends. But, the more she thought, the more Sakura really wanted to go. She believed in Gaara's ideals, and she too wanted to help the future. So why not?

Excited at this new prospect, Sakura ran into her room, and grabbed her emergency backpack. In it contained all of the things she would want to take with her, in case something happened to her house. She had the majority of her money from previous jobs, some food, a couple of sentimental keepsakes, but most importantly…her medical supplies. How would she find Gaara though?

At this setback, she paused in her bedroom. Well, how hard could it really be? Smiling, Sakura ran to her front door. With one last glance at her house, she turned off the lights and flung the door open.

"Oh, Gaara-san, I didn't know you'd still be here," She called out in a surprised voice. On the other side of the door, Gaara leaned against the wall of her house. He smiled and pushed off the wall.

"How did you know I would come," Sakura asked him out loud, as she locked up her door.

"I guess I just trusted you," He answered simply. To Gaara, the comment was nothing but truthful. To Sakura however, something about it made her heart flutter just slightly. When the moment passed, she smiled sheepishly.

"Well, shall we get going?"

* * *

><p>AN: So, what do you think? I know it's kind of short, but it's just the beginning. It'll get longer. Oh, one last thing. I try really really hard to keep the characters as canon as possible, because I hate like when they make someone totally emotionless and badass this like goopy soft lovable bear in fanfics within like a day or two…so this is my attempt. Having that said, if you've read my other fics, you'll see that Gaara in this one is much more…polite? But I'm attributing that to the age and maturity that accompanies age. Don't worry. He'll still be stone cold. At least, for now!

Ciao! Don't forget to review! I'll try to respond to any questions or comments you have.


	2. The first recruit

A/N: I'm back! So I only got ONE review for last chapter, sad day! But that's okay. If you are reading this, please do review, I know it's a hassle but it really motivates us authors. Having that said, HERE IS A SPECIAL PRIZE FOR **Ichibiluva** for being the first reviewer!

To lovely **Ichibiluva**: Leave a review with one line you somehow want me to incorporate, and I'll figure out a way to have one of the characters say it and have it still make sense to the plot. Have fun!

* * *

><p>"So, where are we headed first?" Sakura asked as the duo walked away from her house. It made her feel a little odd to be going on a journey with a man she hardly knew, but she pushed those thoughts aside in favour of happier ones. Although she was fairly tall, Sakura found that she was having a hard time keeping up with the other's obviously lengthier strides.<p>

Gaara tilted his head towards her and with a kind smile, he responded politely, "Nowhere for now. I just arrived in Konoha. I had figured that we would recruit some students here. We might as well since I'm here."

Sakura blinked before blushing slightly. Well of course. If she thought about it more carefully, she could have arrived at that conclusion herself. Nodding to acknowledge that she heard him, Sakura glanced away from his gaze and turned to face the other side of the street. She should really think before asking dumb questions. As she was scolding herself, another thought came to mind.

"Wait, so if we're recruiting here…I could stay at my house, couldn't I?" She asked him openly. She wasn't sure how long they were going to stay, but if they were going to stay in Konoha, she would much rather sleep in her own bed.

"Ah, yes. I would assume so. Actually, I was thinking that myself. I had wondered why you brought such a large bag when you left, if you were only looking for me. I couldn't have gone that far," Gaara replied. He had no trace of humour in his voice, but something about the way he spoke caused Sakura to laugh.

"Yeah, I guess I wasn't really thinking. It was an impulsive decision."

Gaara turned to the girl and stopped walking. He placed a hand on her right shoulder. It was more toned than he imagined. Girls were soft, and delicate. But kunochi, like Haruno, were not. Her deltoid was defined and hardened from years of training. Although rigid, she felt warm. Gaara found it amazing that he could literally feel her being alive.

Sakura stopped in her tracks and turned at the touch. It wasn't rough, but it was firm. She had never been touched like that. It was as if he was completely indifferent to her gender, and treated her like an equal. A small part of her was offended, but she was mostly happy. To be seen as equal by someone as powerful as Gaara gave her a burst of self-confidence.

"What is it?" She asked.

"I know you say it was an impulsive decision. But thank you nonetheless. I am grateful you have decided to help me, but I just want to be clear about my objective. I do not wish to force you to help me, if you are choosing to do so out of obligation. If this is not what your heart truly desires, do not feel pushed." He said to her.

Sakura couldn't help but stare into his eyes. There was such an intensity with which he spoke, she felt humbled. The very thought of disappointing him terrified her. She wasn't sure if this really was what she wanted, but she wanted to try, at least. It wouldn't be fair to him for her to suddenly change her mind. She would look like such a flake. But what if she did change her mind? She would put him in such a dilemma. Regardless of how she felt, she knew what she wanted to say.

"You're welcome. I'm really not doing this for any other reason than my personal interest. I want to help, and I believe that the kids do need some sort of preparation. So, don't worry. I'm not going to back out on you."

Gaara smiled once more. Relieved, he dropped his hand away from her shoulder, and continued to walk. He glanced around the streets. It was a good thing he had found Haruno when he did. He was starting to get lost in Konoha's vast streets. Pausing when they reached an intersection, he turned to her to ask her a question.

"Do you know where I can find some interested kids?"

Sakura scrunched up her face in shock. Did he not have a plan at all? Was his plan just to ask around! Surely they would be found, and caught if they did such a thing. She quickly pulled her face into a more respectful one. So perhaps she had given Gaara too much credit. Maybe he hadn't thought this out as much as she had earlier assumed.

"To be honest, Gaara-san, I don't. Even if I did, I think just going around, asking kids would be a horrible way to recruit, and a very easy way to get caught. I don't really know how you do plan on finding students. The punishment for learning the craft is almost as severe as passing it down. I think the young ones are much too scared here." She answered truthfully.

Gaara paused, considered what she had said, before he nodded slowly.

"I see what you're saying. We should look for delinquents then. They will not be afraid of the law."

"NO!" Sakura objected. She threw her hands exasperated into the air, before setting them back down on her hips.

"That's a stupid idea. I'm not teaching anything to someone who's already on the wrong side of the law," she added.

The young man seemed to be unfazed. Though, he was surprised at her outburst. Large displays of emotion still were foreign to him. He thought about what she suggested. She had a point. If he were to pass down his secrets, he would want someone with a strong character. And thus, Gaara, former Kazekage, developed a plan.

* * *

><p>"Miho, did you hear?" a young boy's voice could be heard, whispering. He stood underneath the slide at the playground.<p>

"No, what is it, Ikki?" a voice responded back from above him. The girl was lying down on top of the slide.

"Haruka's leaving. His brother's taking him with him on some trip. They aren't even going to tell their parents!" The boy spoke out excitedly. He would miss Haruka, but he was very excited on the prospect of Jasper not being around. He didn't like the way he treated Miho.

"What? Oh no! I didn't get to say bye! When will they be back? Why wouldn't he tell us?" The girl shrieked out, horrified at being left out of the situation.

"I don't know when he'll be back. And he told me, and I told you. Isn't that good enough?" Ikki responded, confused by her anger.

"Ugh, you don't understand anything." The girl responded with before angrily lying back down, crossing her small arms across her chest. Haruka, and his cute brother, were gone after all.

Somewhere not far from the playground, a thirteen-year-old and his eleven-year-old brother were walking towards the edge of their district, and towards an unfamiliar house. Both had small backpacks with them, though, the contents of which were completely useless in the long run. The boys packed a dinner for themselves, underwear, and then, their favourite possessions.

"Go knock." Jasper commanded his brother, shoving him forward slightly. Haruka looked back at his big brother and frowned.

"No, you do it!" He bickered. Haruka was nervous. He didn't even know what was going on. His brother had just burst through the door of their family home and explained that there was a big contest that he really wanted to win, and that they would have to leave, right away.

"Fine. You're such a baby. We'll never win if you act like this," Jasper snapped. On the inside, he too was nervous. But he was the big brother. He had to show Haruka how things were done.

One knock and the door opened. To their amazement, the house was rather small, and crowded. It looked like it was meant for a single, not a family, like the houses they were used to being in. The narrow entrance to the humble house was connected straight into the living room, where other children seemed to have gathered. Walking in with more confidence, Haruka shut the door behind him. There must have been at least fourteen other boys there. This prize must have been amazing.

Just as he was about to question his big brother, Haruka looked up and saw two adults, sitting on the couch, facing the crowd before them. Haruka pulled on Jasper's sleeve and the two squished themselves somewhere near the back of the couch, to hear what was being said.

"So basically, we're giving away two hundred ryo to whichever team can find us first. We will be going into the forest outside the edge of the east gate. Do whatever it takes to win. You may begin in an hour. If no one finds us by the morning, no one will receive the prize. Once someone does find us, we will sound two sharp whistles. Pair up; there should be an even number of you. If you are caught trying to follow us into the woods, you will be disqualified. Remember, although you can't see us, we will be able to see you." The man spoke out calmly. Excitement grew in the young boys' eyes. That was a lot of money, and how hard could it be to find two adults? One had red hair, and the other pink. It would be so easy to spot them in a lush environment of green.

Whispers grew louder as the man seemed to have finished speaking. Everyone was getting excited. That was a lot of money. Jasper had already planned out what he was doing with it. He was finally going to buy himself a sword! A real one! Getting pumped, he glanced over at Haruka, who looked less than impressed.

"What's wrong, Haruka? Didn't you hear him? Two hundred," Jasper asked him with a wide grin. His younger brother smiled back weakly. He was always the more pensive of the two, and the implications of this contest were starting to set in.

"Jasper…think about this. Those guys said, 'do anything to win'...doesn't that mean that you can do, anything? Jasper, this could get really dangerous. Some of those guys look bigger than us," Haruka whispered to his bigger brother. Jasper paused. He hadn't considered the competition just yet.

"Hmm…I'm sure it'll be fine." Jasper decided before he put his hands on Haruka's shoulders. "Don't worry, I'll be here. We can do this." He encouraged. With a smile, Haruka nodded shyly. As the two sorted out their thoughts, the woman stood up.

"We're going to ask that all of you wait for us for one hour before beginning. The clock starts the minute all of you are out of this house. Feel free to grab supplies, or do whatever you feel is necessary. However, if any interference occurs before you are in the forest, the interfering team will be disqualified as well. Good luck," she instructed, before gently coaxing the boys out of her house.

Finally, as Sakura closed the door, she turned back around to face Gaara with a worried glance.

"Is this really the best way? I mean, did you really have to say, 'anything goes'? What if some of these boys aren't strong characters? I don't want any deaths or serious injuries on our hands," she murmured.

Gaara crossed his arms before walking over to the kitchen. He helped himself to a cup of water.

"Yes. Look, you and I know there is no prize money. This is a test of character. We're going to be supervising the whole time anyways. I will be in the forest, while you will be here, watching over them until they get into the forest, before joining me. The type of students we want will not go over the line for something as petty as money. Having that said, they would still do everything possible and to their own limits in order to win. This is the easiest way of sorting out who has potential and the right type of attitude for our school." He answered.

Sakura chewed on her bottom lip worriedly. Something about all of this just didn't feel right. What if they were pissed that there was no money? How could they gain their trust if the very first impression was based on deceit? But, she didn't want to question Gaara. Although it was not how she would have done things, she had to believe in him, and she had to believe in his ideas.

"Okay. Well, here's your ear piece. I've already got mine in. I'll come meet you once I'm sure that all of the parties are out of Konoha, or disqualified," Sakura replied. She walked over and handed him a small metal microphone and speaker unit. Taking one last glance behind her shoulder towards her partner, she walked over to the door and threw on her cloak. With light steps, she went up the stairs and out of the window of her second floor. Perching herself carefully and out of sight from every angle she could conceive, she waited for the hour to pass.

* * *

><p>"Watch out!" Haruka shouted loudly, pushing his brother out of the way. A small rock shot past where Jasper stood a minute ago. The two fell to the hard soil with grunts. Breathing heavily, Jasper wiped away his nervous perspiration. The boys were getting vicious. It had already been three hours into the night, and it looked like no one had spotted the two adults. How was this even possible? There was something about the two that Jasper now wanted to know. What was their endgame? Maybe Haruka was right.<p>

"Are you okay?" Haruka asked, sitting up from the bush where they hid. Jasper nodded. He was scared. He wanted the money, but not badly enough to jeopardize their health. He grabbed Haruka by the arm and dragged him over to a tree trunk. The two hid behind it and peeped over the top of the hedge. There was another pair of boys on the other side, armed with pebbles and sticks that they had fashioned into spears.

"We're going to distract them, here, I'm going to climb this tree and step onto the branch. That way, they won't be able to see where I'm throwing from. I'll throw this rock near us, but to the left, and you take that time to run in the opposite direction, okay?"

With a nod, the boys separated. Jasper skilfully climbed onto the large oak, and scaled across the branches until he found a spot that was hidden and gave him some space to aim. Clutching the rock with his right hand, he inhaled slightly, before whipping his arm forward, sending the heavy object lurching towards Haruka, but about ten or twelve feet away. Instantly, the boys below ran towards the sound, excited. From his angle, he could see Haruka's narrow body speeding away in the other direction. Breathing a sigh of relief, Jasper waited for the other boys to get deeper into the woods before he himself climbed down.

Jogging over to Haruka, the brothers grinned at each other before taking off once more. Where were those two adults?

Somewhere nearby, Sakura frowned. She had her binoculars out. From her perch in the treetops, she had already spotted several groups of boys that were looking injured. Nervous, she sighed and put down the binoculars. Turning towards Gaara, who was doing the same thing from the other side of the tree; she opened her mouth to say something, but stopped when rustling below them alerted her ears.

Instantly, the two of them glanced at each other and looked down. There were two boys, resting against the tree trunk. It seemed to be just a coincidence that they were at this particular tree. Staying silent, Gaara signalled for Sakura to continue her watch.

Below the two, Haruka and Jasper leaned against the tree trunk and were panting heavily.

"We should have brought a sleeping bag. There's no way we will find them anytime soon. I'm hungry!" Haruka whined out. Jasper nodded. The two had already eaten their packed dinner, but all that running around was exhausting them.

"It's okay. I don't think anyone's found them yet. We would have heard something. I think we should try another strategy. I don't think they are on the ground, and I don't think they would have wandered too far away from the Konoha gate, if what they said about keeping an eye on everyone was true. I think they must be in the trees. So, we just have to find the tallest tree we can find, and climb it to get a better view. But let's do that in a little while. I need to sit for a bit," Jasper suggested, closing his eyes momentarily.

"Hey! You! Do you guys have food?" A boy's voice interrupted their peace. Alarmed, the brothers stood up and prepared themselves for a fight.

"N..no. We're out," Haruka answered, trying to sound brave. Jasper beside him gave him an inner strength that he found soothing.

"You better not be lying. We'll beat the truth of you if you are," another unknown's voice carried out. Jasper stood in front of Haruka.

"We are telling the truth, so get lost." He snapped. The two intruding boys glanced at each other. They were tired, hungry, and pissed that they hadn't found those two adults yet. Jasper was just another obstacle in their path.

With a loud yell, the two boys charged. Tackling Jasper to the ground, they threw small balled up fists, some connecting with his jaw, others at his nose and his cheeks. Haruka meanwhile, did all he could to pull one of them off.

"Get off of me, you assholes!" Jasper screamed, feeling thankful that he was so tired that his face was numb. He flailed around in vain. IT was then that from his angle, he spotted it. A shade of pink above him.

With widened eyes, he found new strength. Lifting his right arm up in a wild swing, he broke free of one of the boy's grasp and punched him away from him. With this new freedom of mobility, he used all the energy he had to twist his body and flip the other boy below him.

"HARUKA! THEIR ABOVE US!" He screamed out loudly. At this, his brother's face whipped up to the tree. He couldn't see the adults, but he trusted his brother. Running with all the speed he could muster, he took a grab of the tree trunk, and began to climb.

At his words, the other two boys stopped and jumped off of Jasper. Running towards the tree as well, they started to pick up small pebbles from nearby, ready to make the smaller boy fall.

Jasper let out another yell before chasing after the two. Tackling one into the ground, he could only watch as the other climbed up, catching up to Haruka.

His lungs burned. His legs felt like lead, but Haruka knew he had to keep going. He didn't go all this way to lose now. With everything he could muster, he reached for a tree branch and swung his body forwards to it, and kicked his leg over, before pulling the rest of his body on top of the branch.

Before him, the woman sat on the same branch, smiling brightly. She raised her hand to her whistle, and was about to blow, when the other boy caught up to Haruka. With a shout equal to a warrior, he lurched forward and tackled Haruka, sending the two flying off of the tree.

"HARUKA!" Screamed Jasper. He watched in terror as his brother came falling towards the ground. He got off of the other boy and ran forward, hoping desperately to be able to catch his brother. In the blink of an eye, he found himself on the ground, fallen over, with a large body blocking his view.

It was the man from earlier. He kneeled gracefully before him, with the two boys in his arms. Haruka's eyes were shut, while the other one was crying. Scrambling over, Jasper pulled Haruka into an embrace.

"Are you okay?" He asked him worriedly. He looked up at the man, and instead of feeling thankful, he felt nothing but rage.

Once he was certain that Haruka was fine, Jasper leaped forward to strike the adult. Surprised, but not caught off guard, Gaara easily deflected the shot.

"You fucking asshole. What kind of sick freak are you? Is this what you wanted? Is this what you wanted to see? I don't give a shit about your money. Do you know how many of us are injured? This is what makes you happy? Seeing us fight each other like this? Fuck you! Fuck you and that bit-," Jasper screamed out, but before he could finish his sentence, Gaara's hand was around his mouth.

"That'll be enough. Do not blame Haruno-san, this was my idea." He spoke out calmly. Jasper's heartbeat was so fast, that he thought he would burst. Haruka ran over, but stood before him, unsure of what to do.

In the silence, Sakura blew her whistle. Signalling the end of the game, she jumped down and tended to the other two boys, sending them on their way.

Walking over to Haruka and Jasper, she crouched down to their height and let out an awkward smile.

"For what it's worth, I'm really sorry about all that you've had to endure." She spoke out. Jasper pushed Gaara's hand off of his mouth and walked towards Haruka.

"Whatever. You guys are assholes." Jasper muttered out. Gaara glanced over at Sakura. This was certainly not what he expected.

"Well, will you allow us to explain to you why we decided to do this?" He asked. Haruka put his hand on Jasper's shoulder. He was worried for his brother. It had been a while since he saw him that angry.

"Fine," Jasper spat out. He was still curious, despite his anger.

"The truth is, both Haruno-san, and myself are shinobi. I am from Suna, and Haruno is from your same village. You must know that it is now forbidden to be a shinobi, which means that your generation will never be taught the arts that were offered to us. This world is dark. You may be too young to understand now, but this world is not peaceful. Shinobi are here to protect people from harm, from the madness and violence that exists. We conducted this contest as a way of finding those we considered to have potential. I believe that your loyalty to the safety of your brother is a fundamental part of your personality, and for that, I think that you have the right attitude and the right mind to learn the arts. If you are interested, I would love to teach you what I know, and allow you to better protect those you care about."

Sakura watched from her position, trying to gage a reaction from the brothers. Gaara's speech was elegant beyond words, but she wasn't too sure if it was effective. After all, he had thrown in so much information all at once, it would be nearly impossible for such young people to just accept right awa-

"You think I have what it takes to be a shinobi?" Jasper asked quietly, with large eyes.

Gaara nodded, "your brother too. You guys make a great team."

The two glanced back and forth between each other. Throwing out twin victory signs, they both smiled and responded with freakish similarity,

"We're in!"

Sakura blinked. She slapped her forehead with her hand. Oy. They didn't even care about the consequences of what they would learn. All they cared about was learning something cool. She forgot how boys' minds worked.

Gaara smiled. Standing up, he motioned Sakura over.

"This is Haruno-san; she will be a fellow sensei. She's an incredible medic-nin, and an irreplaceable member of our teaching staff. You will meet the others when we have left Konoha, but for now, get acquainted with her. I am Gaara; you may be call me sensei, or Gaara-san."

Sakura blushed. She knew he was being polite, but still, flattery never hurt anyone. She bowed to the young boys.

"I'm Sakura Haruno. You can call me anything really, I don't mind. It'll be my pleasure teaching you. What are your names?" She asked.

Jasper and Haruka smiled. "I'm Jasper, and this is Haruka. We're part of the Nakamura family." Sakura and Gaara nodded. Then, glancing around them, Sakura let out a small sigh.

"It's going to be morning soon. We should all get back and try and get some rest." She suggested.

The boys agreed. As all four began walking back, Gaara remembered something.

"Oh yes. I'm not sure if this will change your decision, but we leave in the morning. Be ready to say your goodbyes. Oh and, do not mention this to anyone. Not even blood relatives. You boys must realize that this is a dangerous and illegal practice we are beginning," he instructed.

The boys stopped in their tracks. They hadn't realized that they would have to leave. Staring into one another's eyes, their silent conversation began. Sakura and Gaara stood, waiting for them to make up their minds.

Jasper frowned. He didn't exactly want to leave all his friends behind. But then again, when would an opportunity like this occur again? Haruka thought the same. He knew their parents were struggling to put food on the table as it was, and with the two boys out of the house, it'd be two less mouths to feed. He wasn't very interested in becoming a shinobi, but Jasper seemed really into it.

"What do you think?" Haruka asked Jasper. Jasper placed a small hand to his chin in thought.

"I think we should do it. I mean, it's a great chance, and think of how strong we'd become!" Jasper answered. Haruka smiled. Although the two bickered a lot, they cared deeply for one another.

"Yeah, I think so too." He added, and the two turned to face their instructors.

"We're still in." Jasper chimed.

"Oh, good. So then, we'll see you two in the morning." Gaara spoke out, as the foursome continued their way out of the forest.

* * *

><p>"Gaara-san?" Sakura called out shyly from above the stairs. The two decided it would be safer for Gaara to stay at Sakura's, instead of staying at a hotel.<p>

"Yes, Haruno?" He questioned, glancing up from his position on the couch.

"I think you did a really good job today…your plan worked great," she spoke out, feeling a little embarrassed.

From below, Gaara smiled. "Thank you."

Sakura turned away from the stairs once more, a small smile on her face.

"Good night, Gaara-san."

"Good night."

A/N: Another chapter done! Read and review please! Let me know what you think! I really do appreciate any comments. :)


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